hernanca

Edit 04/14/2012: Let step-daughter's prom date use the car for Prom. They had the choice of this or a fully loaded 2011 Nissan Maxima. They chose the 928! (and returned it unharmed) Good kids.

Edit 12/22/2011: Updated pictures. Fixed a lot of little things (see Edits, below), put on some black Phone Dials, and cleaned her up. Same price to Rennlisters (for now!).
Edit: More pictures added in post #4, below.

This car was my daily driver from 1999 until 2007. When first purchased, I had Dave White Motorsports in Tampa, FL go through it with a fine-toothed comb and fix everything they found wrong with it. After 2007, it became a weekend only car, until recently, where I now just store it and run it on occasion (most recent, Coffee and Cars at Lakeland, early March 2011. Update: now at home, fixing all those little things..). This has been a very reliable car, however, it is showing it's age. I was going to ask more for it, after fixing the minor stuff to make it more presentable, and doing the timing belt, which I believe is probably due, though no tension light has come on. However, realistically, it would take me a while to get to it, so I am offering it as is, to save me the time and trouble. Below is the good and the bad:


Mechanicals: 7/10

Mechanicals - the good:
• It’s a US spec 86.5!
o 5 liter 32 valve V8
o “Organ pipe” intake manifold
o Desirable cam profile
o True dual exhaust
o S4 big brakes
• 5-Speed, Manual Transmission
• Dyno results from Dyno Day at J&M Corvettes in 1999:
o Rear Wheel HP = 267/ Rear wheel Torque = 285
o (http://members.rennlist.com/jkomiak/)
• One Key! Same key used for everything: doors, rear hatch, gas cap, ignition, glove compartment.
• Factory Alarm.
• Autothority performance chips (Fuel and Ignition).
• GT Resonators
• Rear Muffler Bypass (RMB)
• 8mm Ignition wires
• GT ignition coils
• GTS Oil Pan Baffle
• R-134 A/C
• 928 Specialists Springs, Bilstein shocks.
• Lots of receipts on work done.

Mechanicals - the bad:
• 243K Miles. Though this also means it has been driven and maintained to stay on the road.
• Leak down test 50K (or more) miles ago showed 20% difference in one cylinder.
• Vibration at 4K RPM that has existed since I bought the car in 1999 with 124K miles on it. Not always there, but often is. Some say nothing to worry about, but it bugs me, and so I have tried to chase it down. No one has resolved it. Marc Thomas drove the car and guessed maybe timing is off from one side to the other. Others have guessed maybe out of spec half-shafts (found to be 1mm out of round, but not replaced).
• Double-disc clutch has some chatter, but only sporadically, and only on low speed engagement. It is very tolerable, and I just ease off and re-engage when it happens.
• Wiring damage during suspension swap between this car and the silver car causes (!) light to be on for brakes (was not on prior to swap, and damage has been found in rear).
• Same wiring damage from suspension swap causing exterior lights on left side to be inop.
• Disabled and closed off rear A/C. (Update: also pulled fuse #13, so that rear fan cannot be turned on either)
• Truck A/C rubber hose used to replace partial low pressure A/C line going along side of engine after it developed a hole. It works, but may have a slow leak at double-clamped points to stock line. Refrigerant needs to be refreshed on occasion.
• When A/C is turned on (i.e., Hot outside), car will occasionally start erratic idle. I do WOT a few times and it “clears” it. Don’t know the cause. Replaced fuel line cooler (tied to A/C) to no avail. Never happens with A/C off. (Update: possible cause is adjustment valve used to increase idle when A/C kicks in - will address if do top end refresh before selling.)
• “Magic Blower Syndrome" just started. (Update: Took out resister pack and adjusted metal strip to 2mm gap - no more MBS!)

Body: 8/10

Body – the good:
• All original paint except right rear quarter (previous owner repaint for reasons unknown).
• Slightly flared rear quarters to accommodate 8x16 23.3ET 944 Turbo Phone Dials.
• 8” H4 Headlights (one of these (right side) is foggy).
• No side moldings/rub strips.
• Limo tint on all windows (front has sun visor strip in Limo tint).
• Rear bumperettes included (off the car at the moment). (Update: Bumperettes back on - updated pictures coming soon)

Body – the bad:
• Rear bumper shocks collapsed and pulled back out due to minor rear ending (no damage to plastic bumper cover).
• Small, barely noticeable indentation on hood near badge area, where truck bumper had backed up to car in parking lot.
• Two small nicks to front bumper cover from same truck’s exhaust pipe. (Update: Touched up with matched Gran Prix Weiss color kit)
• Front badge missing with two nicks at the location. (Update: Bought new badge. Installed!)
• Front slats at radiator opening recently fell out due to support breaking (slats recovered). (Update: bought supports. Installed!)
• Exterior door window trim is showing its age and sun exposure, and should likely be replaced.
• As mentioned above, right rear quarter is non-original paint respray.
• Rear wiper delete - some may consider a plus. I simply removed the rear wiper and topped the mechanism with acorn nuts. It can be reversed. (Update: Rear Wiper is back on car and functioning correctly.)

Interior: 5-6/10

The good:
• Everything there.
• Black interior (easiest to find parts for/match).

The bad:
• Deteriorating (dash cracks, peeling, warped rear quarters) due to Florida sun exposure.
• Nicks on rear A/C console due to mountain bike (it fit in rear with wheel off).
• Rearview mirror just fell off! (Update: re-installed!)
• Gauge cluster too dim to see clearly at night.
• Interior lights are shorted somewhere, probably cigarette lighter or an interior light.

kombatrok

PM sent with some questions.

Jadz928

GLWS, Carlos. Love the deep fofo phonies!

hernanca

Thank you, Jim - it is a great look IMO, as you know!

Got PM. Took pictures as requested, and sending. Edit: Adding here, as well.

LUCKYJACKASS

Hernanca,
what is the setup for the phone dials is that in the picture and how much 'flaring' of the rear fenders did you have to do? Did you have to use spacers? I love the look and stance your car has with those on it!!!!
Sorry for the non-sale related question, but free bump.

hernanca

No problem, Jeff - thank you for the free bump!

Flaring is minimal. No spacers.
Phone dials used in rear are "early 944" 8x16 23.3mm ET (86 944 Turbo)

The other thing that has to be done is to use open lug nuts. I painted the open lug nuts and protruding stud (still well inside the lug holes) flat black, so they would not be noticeable.

So the setup for my 86.5 is:

Rears:
a) 8x16 23.3mm ET, early 944 phone dials.
b) No spacers
c) Slight flare of wheel wells
d) open lug nuts (optionally painted flat black)

Fronts:
a) 8x16 53.3mm ET, late 944 phone dials.
b) Recommend a very small spacer - I don't, but brakes are super close to wheels.

I also tended to have the car as low as I could tolerate.

I received a lot of compliments with that set up, and I carried it over to my silver 86.5. IMO, it is a "classic" look.

Thanks, again,

LUCKYJACKASS

Thanks for the info, Carlos. I may try to pick up a set of phonies...I think they will work on my '83 too, but if not, I can always use them on the 951.

That bus is awesome!!!! I'd love to see that thing in person next time I get back to Tampa! I get there about 4 times a year, as I moved to Vegas from St Pete.
Bbbbbump!

hernanca

I believe the 8x16 23mm Phonies from an early 944 will work for you on the '83, however, I do not believe these early Phone dials will work on your 951 because of the bigger 944 ABS brakes which came with 87+ 944's.

Note that my fronts are from an 87+ 944, with the later offset of 53.x mm. I could not use the 928 Phone dials because I have the S4 brakes that came with the 86.5. These front phonies BARELY clear the S4 brakes, and BARELY stay within the wheel well. I would think that with the '83 you could use the 928 Phonies for the front. They are slightly different in style (as with the early and late 944 phone dials), but only noticeable when pointed out.

Ah, well, truth be told, that particular bus is part of this years April Fools joke, and I only know of its existence from cyberspace. However, if you frequent Tampa/St. Pete, you can see lots of VW busses if your visit coincides with VW4Life/Wild Weekend (April 29-May 1, 2011) or the Pasco Bug Jam (Nov. 13, 2011)!

hernanca

Bump: My car is still available!

hernanca

Bump. Some small updates - I am fixing a bunch of little things to make the car more presentable. Will update with pictures. Car is still available - keeping the same price on Rennlist (for now).

hernanca

Bump - this car is still available. Udpated pictures coming soon. See Updates in first post.

hernanca

Bump! Still available. Cleaned her up and posted updated pictures!

This is a good and reliable car 86.5 5-speed. I have owned it for 12 years, and it was my daily driver, so it has been maintained for reliability. Silver car with stroker is reason for the sale - I don't need two of these!

Mrmerlin

the car looks good in the pictures,
the paint is screaming for a good buff job it should restore the luster.
use extra cut 3M compound with the gray waffle pad it will glisten
Goodluck with the sale

Jon B.

I would buy in a heartbeat in a couple months. Carlos, if you have this around the end of March let me know. GLWTS.

hernanca

Will do, Jon. Thank you for the interest.

Stan, thank you for the tip. All the paint is original, except the right rear quarter. I did not want white when I was first looking for a 928, but it really grew on me. I would buy a white one again after owning this one - amazing color at night under the moon!